Absorbent articles with wings or flaps are known. JP-T-5-506799 discloses a sanitary napkin having flaps, which extend outwardly from the longitudinal side margins, folded over the topsheet. This arrangement maintains the topsheet in a sanitary condition and is more convenient to handle. The flaps may be maintained in this folded arrangement by a unitary release strip which bridges the flaps and covers any adhesive used to attach the flaps to an undergarment.
However, when the flaps are opened on use, a wrinkle remains near the fold lines to impair the feel or fit, which can result in leakage.
JP-A-2002-272786 discloses an absorbent article having a pair of wings each formed of a side nonwoven fabric which is fixed to the liquid impermeable backsheet by a linear heat seal along the longitudinal direction. The wings are heat embossed over the area except the base to improve the fixation of the adhesive thereon.
JP-A-2003-284741 discloses an absorbent article with flaps having embossed depressions for stopping liquid flow on their skin facing side. The back side of the flaps has no depressions and thereby provides a sufficient contact area to which an adhesive is applied. As a result, the adhesive is prevented from remaining on an undergarment when the napkin is removed.
JP-A-2003-290277 discloses an absorbent article having flaps that are not to be folded over the outer side of an undergarment. The flaps have depressions for stopping liquid flow on their skin facing side.
These techniques aim to stop liquid flow or to improve fixation of the adhesive onto the side flaps.
There is no related art proposing any structure that involves folding flaps inward (to face the topsheet) without creating folding wrinkles.